After 16 years running a tiling business, Mark Tirimacco moved into a Jim’s Mowing franchise, took over about 65 clients, and says his first week brought in more than $3,000. Three months in, he says the mix of brand trust, lead flow, and extra garden work has made the move worthwhile.
In short: Mark Tirimacco moved from his own tiling business into a Jim’s Mowing franchise after a lifestyle shift and ongoing staffing pressure. He took over about 65 clients, says his first week brought in more than $3,000, and credits the early momentum to an established run, quick lead response, and upsell work.
In this More Than Just Mowing Podcast episode, Mark Tirimacco, a Jim’s Mowing franchisee, explained how he moved from a tiling business into a 65-client run that generated more than $3,000 in his first week. He said Jim’s leads, fast response habits, and a simple but disciplined quoting process helped him build quick early momentum.
A Jim’s Mowing franchise can be a strong move for an experienced operator who wants brand trust, incoming leads, and a quicker path to revenue. In Mark’s case, the proof point is clear: about 65 clients at takeover and more than $3,000 in week-one revenue. This article shows what he did before Jim’s, why he switched, how the first few months worked, what drove revenue, and what challenges showed up early.
What Did Mark Do Before Joining Jim’s Mowing?
Before joining Jim’s Mowing, Mark owned his own tiling business.
He had been in the industry for 20 years and had run his own business for 16 of them. That gave him a solid base in customer service, quoting, and running jobs.
The problem was growth. He said staffing and time were getting harder to manage, while jobs were getting bigger. Without the manpower, he felt the business could not really scale.
That matters because this was not someone trying to escape hard work. It was an experienced tradie looking for a more scalable structure, which is exactly why many people start looking into owning a franchise with Jim’s Group.
Why Did Mark Switch From Tiling to a Jim’s Mowing Franchise?
The move started close to home.
Mark said the franchisee he bought from was his neighbour. They had a chat, he did a trial and some work experience, and that gave him a proper look at the business before committing.
He then bought the whole run, not a split.
That reduced the risk straight away. He was not starting from zero. He was stepping into an existing base of about 65 clients, which gave him immediate work and immediate cash flow.
He also saw clear value in the brand. For him, the Jim’s name was not just marketing. It was trust, response speed, and an easier path to getting on the phone with real prospects. For people comparing options, this is where it helps to understand how franchising fees work and what you are actually getting in return.
What Was Mark’s First Week and First 3 Months Like?
The first few months were helped by one big advantage: Mark did not walk in cold.
He had already done work experience with the previous franchisee, so he knew some of the clients and understood the run. That shortened the learning curve.
His first week was strong. He says it brought in more than $3,000 in revenue.
He also did not just service the existing base. He moved quickly on extras. Because he already had rapport with some clients, he could suggest pruning, hedging, and other added work rather than relying only on standard mowing.
That is a big theme in his story. The first few months were not about waiting for the business to happen. They were about using the run as a platform and then widening the spend per client. That kind of fast, early momentum is part of why many prospects ask how much you can earn with a Jim’s franchise.
How Much Can You Earn Starting With an Existing Client Base?
Mark earned more than $3,000 in his first week.
He also mentions being “very happy” with his income and notes that labour-intensive jobs, such as mulching, can generate significantly higher returns.
Income can grow over time through a few key drivers:
- Consistent mowing work keeps cash flow steady
- Upselling increases the average value per job
- Labour-intensive garden work pays more than basic mowing
- Fast response times lead to more quote opportunities
- Offering a wider range of services increases earnings from existing clients
That is also why earnings in a Jim’s Mowing franchise are tied not just to mowing, but to how well the operator prices, follows up, and expands the job scope over time.
How Did Mark Grow Revenue Beyond His 65-Client Run?
Because Mark was only around three months in, this is still an early-stage growth story.
The biggest growth lever was the starting base of about 65 clients. He calls that a perfect foundation.
The second lever was Jim’s leads. He says they are phenomenal and that they simply flow through, which means he does not have to chase clients the same way an independent operator often does.
The third lever was local initiative. He says car drop-offs worked very well for him.
The fourth lever was service mix. He did not box the business into just mowing. He talked about pruning, hedging, gutter cleaning, full garden maintenance, re-mulch jobs, green waste, small palm removals, and even minor paving.
That matters because mowing may be the entry point, but wider garden work is where margins can improve. It also reflects the broader opportunity people see when they explore the Jim’s Mowing franchise pathway.
What Systems Helped Mark Convert Leads and Increase Job Value Fast?
The biggest system advantage in Mark’s story is not software. It is response speed.
He says the Jim’s name helps, but he also says he acts on every lead immediately. As soon as he receives the text, he calls. If the client does not answer, he leaves a message, sends a text, waits 25 to 30 minutes, then calls again. When he sends a quote, he follows it with a text in case the email goes to junk.
That works for a simple reason: speed reduces friction.
A lead goes cold very fast. If a customer makes an enquiry and hears nothing for hours, trust drops, and the quote becomes a price race. But if the call comes through almost immediately, the operator sounds organised, active, and serious. Mark even says the common reaction is, “That was quick.”
That quick-contact system gives him better odds before anyone else has even made contact.
The second system is service awareness on-site. He does not wait for customers to ask for more work. If a hedge needs doing, he says so. If a shrub looks overdue, he brings it up. That turns a standard mowing visit into a higher-value conversation.
The third system is simple admin discipline. Mark is not pretending to be highly tech-driven. He says paperwork is one of the hardest parts and that he still uses a notepad, a diary, and paper receipts. But he is on top of his cancellations, extras, and next-day planning.
The lesson is useful. A Jim’s Mowing franchise does not become efficient because of fancy tools alone. It becomes efficient when fast lead handling, clear communication, and steady admin habits are repeated every day. That is also where proper franchisee training can make a big difference, especially for people without prior business experience.
What Challenges Come With Managing 65+ Clients Early On?
The biggest early challenge was paperwork.
Mark says that in tiling, he might be dealing with one to three clients at a time. In mowing, he is suddenly dealing with about 65. That means constant messages, cancellations, extras, and diary changes.
He says his phone does not stop. The work is good, but the tracking is relentless.
He also points to training gaps. Because he had years of business experience, he found the formal training fairly basic. He felt more hands-on mowing training would help some people, especially those without prior experience.
He also had equipment issues. He took over the old petrol gear, and some of it only lasted about a month and a half before he started replacing it.
Still, none of those challenges sounds fatal. They sound like real operating issues inside a business that is already moving.
Is Buying an Established Jim’s Mowing Run Worth It?
Mark’s answer is yes.
He says getting into the franchise was completely worth it. He recommends it, with one condition: do your due diligence and research properly.
That is an important point. He is not selling fantasy. He is saying the model works when you understand what you are buying and you are ready to back yourself.
His strongest reason is flexibility. He says the ability to work for yourself is priceless, and that the more you work, the more you can make.
Buying a Jim’s Mowing Run vs Starting From Scratch
| Feature | Standard Operator | Jim’s Professional |
| Training | Often self-taught or pieced together over time | Structured onboarding plus franchise support and field guidance |
| Leads | Must self-generate every enquiry | Can benefit from Jim’s lead flow and call-centre-driven enquiries |
| Systems | Personal process, often built from scratch | Brand-backed quoting, lead handling, training, and support structure |
| Branding | Must earn trust job by job | Starts with recognised Jim’s branding and faster trust signals |
| Income Consistency | Often slower to build from zero | Faster base when buying clients or converting Jim’s leads consistently |
“The flexibility to go work for yourself is priceless.”
— Mark Tirimacco, Jim’s Mowing franchisee
Frequently Asked Questions
Mark says his first week brought in more than $3,000. Beyond that, he says only that he is very happy with his income and that labour-heavy weeks can produce very large figures.
In Mark’s case, yes. He took over about 65 clients, which gave him an established run from day one.
Not necessarily, but it helps. Mark came in with 16 years of business ownership and found some of the formal training basic, while also saying that more hands-on support would help new entrants.
Mark is clear that mowing is bread-and-butter work, but not always the best-paying work. He says mulching, pruning, hedging, green waste, and other labour-based garden jobs can lift revenue far more than standard mowing alone.
For Mark, it is admin load. The jump from a few large clients to around 65 smaller recurring clients means constant messages, scheduling changes, quotes, and paperwork.
Mark says the hours are not necessarily fewer than before, but the control is better. He can shape the day around paperwork, quoting, and family responsibilities, which is part of the value for him.
Key Takeaways
- Mark moved from tiling into a Jim’s Mowing franchise after staffing pressure made growth harder in his old business.
- He took over about 65 clients and says his first week produced more than $3,000 in revenue.
- The strongest system edge in his story is speed: fast lead response, repeated follow-up, and on-site upselling.
- Extra services such as mulching, hedging, pruning, and green waste appear to drive better money than mowing alone.
- His verdict is simple: do your research, but if the fit is right, the flexibility and opportunity are real.
Book a Jim’s Expert or Step Into Your Own Client Base
Want a Reliable Lawn and Garden Service Near You?
If you want more than a basic mow, this story shows what a good operator actually does: fast response, clear communication, proper garden upkeep, and a willingness to handle the extras that make a property look finished.
That can mean pruning, hedging, gutter cleaning, re-mulch work, green waste removal, and ongoing maintenance through Jim’s Mowing services, backed by professional standards and the Jim’s National Guarantee.
Request your free quote from Jim’s Mowing today.
Ready to Take Over Clients and Start Earning Faster?
Mark Tirimacco’s story is not about overnight hype. It is about stepping into a proven system, using a real client base well, and then growing through speed, service, and consistency.
Learn more about joining Jim’s Mowing at jims.net or call 131 546 today.
